And in the



s' @eine taten` p @strot @titre JOHN'T. RICH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. l

- Leners Panic No. 74,001, dans Mmm 4, lees;` undated January 2c, 186e.

IMPROVBDPROGBSS OF GBNERATING GASES, .AND IN THE APPLIGAIION 0F THE SAME.

,Ete tttmle ruimt tn in there tttttrt patent mit attingere tt tip sans.

TO ALL WHOM I T MAY Q ONCERN: i

Be it known that I, JOIINT. RICH, of the city and countyof Philadelphia, and State of -l?'ennsylvania, have invented a new' and useful Improvement in the Process forGenerating Gases for Heating .and Illuminating Purposes; endl do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- 'Figure .1 isan elevation, partly'in section, oi' an apparatus for generating gases when destructive distillation is employed. y l

Figure 2 is a sectionef the steam-jet, showing a double coneau Figure 8 is a section ot' the steam-jet, 'showing a single cone. i

Figure 2 is a plan of the steam-jet shown in section, iig. 2.

Figure 3 is a plan ot the steam-jet shown in tig. 3.'-

Figure 4 is an elevatiompartly in section, oi"an apparatus in which the vapors oi hydrocarbon are employed.

Figure is a plan, partly'in section, of the same.

The letters are employed in the several figures in thel indication of parts which are identical.

The objects of this invention are, irst, the generation of gases for admixture with hydrocarbon gases; second, the generation ofpxygen gas for admixture with hydrocarbon gases; third, the application ot the gases thus generated and mingled-to purposes ofillumination, heating, desulphurization of ores, ttc,

.'lhe following description will enable one skilled in the art to construct the apparatus and apply my process.

A is a retort for destructive distillation. A Stean1-pipe, D, closed by the steam-cock F, is carried into the stand-pipe, andbentso as to discharge aje't of steam in the direction to which the standpipe leads. This pipe terminates with a conical nozzle, through which a jet oi steam is blown into the stand-pipe, entering the saine at the base of the tubular termination of the funnel-forined case G. This conical case is made single or double, or with more concentric cones, according to circumstances. E is a pipe, closed by a stop-cock, leading in the standpipe below the conical case C, and is 'intended for the introduction of atmospheric air into the stand-pipe as required.

In the 'apparatus for using the vapors of hydrocarbons, IS'. is the furnace, where the lire acts upon the bottom of the retort N. '.lhis retort'is intended to be illed with iiuid hydrocarbon, introduced through the pipe T. The iiuids entering through this pipeare caused to low towards the centre of the retort through the spaces formed by the volute partition F, and, being thus exposed to the action ofthe heat, theyr are evaporated.

The Avapor risesthrough 4the pipe R, which terminates in a cone, as already shown. .A steam-pipe, constructed i asdescribedfterminates in said cone, as does alsov an atmospheric-pipe, similar to the one already described.

The operation. of the apparatus, whether destructive distillation or vapor-ization of uids is employed, is as follows: By the action of particles o f steam mingled with globules of water, commonly called wet steam, upon the nozzle of the 4pipe D,and upon the sides of the funnel-formed case lC, electricity is generated, the amount of which may be increased, according to well-known principles, by melting the nozzle of the pipe D of hard wood, and also by causing the `iet of steam to impinge upon a brush ofl'npoints or by using a nozzle of ground glass. Thisjet of steam, passing through the apex of the conical case C, carries lwith it the gas or vapors from the retort, and the electricity generated by the jet of steam acts upon the atmospheric air admitted through the pipe E, setting free a portion of the oxygen, the nitrogen, uniting with partl of the oxygen, forming nitric acid. After the gases or vapors passing from the retort are thus mingled with the oxygen, they are carried through water, which takes up the steam which has not been decomposed, and the nitric acid thus forming a permanent gas not subject to condensation. I The use of a retort may be dispensed with, and oxygen` gas be generated alone, which may be employed for chemical distillation, for the desulphuriz'ation of ores, and other suitable purposes.

' What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersA Patent, is4

1'. The process of generating-and procuring the partial decomposition of .atmospheric air by the action of we; stem in. contact with metallic orother hard substances, for the purposetset forth.

2, The-process, substantially as described, oi' saturating atmospheric air, and the subsequent application of the same to the purposesof chemical distillation, or mixed with carbon or hydrocarbon vapors tof heating or illuminating purposes. I l

3. The process of generating and preserving oxygen gas by the action lupon a current of atmospheric air 0f electricity evolved by ajet of wet steam, and the subsequent separation of the steam and nitric acid from the oxygen thus set free, substantially as set forth.

4. The inode of manufacturing illuminating and heating-gases by mingling hydrocarbon gases or vapor with oxygen gases, generated substantially iu the manner set forth.

-5. The mode of manufacturing mingled oxygen gases for use in the desulphurization of ores, kc., substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

y JOHN T. RICH. Witnesses:

WM.`H. WIGHTMAN, JOHN A. HURLEY. 

